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Close to Mata-Mata I lived the African Dream

But the very best sighting of the day was yet to come. It had been a VERY slow and quiet day – I even retreated to taking photos of trees as there had been nothing else on our afternoon drive (or at the camp during rest time). We were already back on our way to the camp when I saw something in the corner of my left eye. First I had thought it was just a dead trunk sticking out of an equally dead tree. But I made SO stop and reverse and reverse and reverse. And there it was: My first self-spotted owl! And sitting out in the open:

Other sightings

Kudu at Craig Lockhardt


Tawny in the sky


Juvenile BCSE in the same place


And another tawny


An ostrich that didn’t run and made a severe case of too much lens


And the trees and landscapes




This would be our last night in the park and we were blessed to share it with rjm. Apart from the enjoyable conversation we were also treated to a delicious braai with kingklip and some fresh greens on top of it. It was an absolutely wonderful evening - thanks, R.

Day 13
02/11/2012 Leaving Day

Alas, on our last day we had to leave with gate opening time sharp again. Luckily, it was November and we were allowed out half an hour earlier than two days before. Otherwise we wouldn’t have been able to stay at Uri if we wanted to catch our flight at Upington. In fact, for March I had to amend our booking for the last night from Uri to Kielie as the gates open only at 6.30 am then in contrast to 5.30 am in November.

Anyway. It was our last day and the KTP gave all to make sure we would come back. She still doesn’t know we will either way (Having said that, we'll see what the new lodges on the Bots side will do to the traffic in KTP and then of course, once the new camps / extentions have been realized...)

The last drive started off with a beautiful sky


The springboks had a soft glow as well

Next up were the closest elands we had ever seen in daylight


And then – an even better sighting of a BEF than the day before

We hadn’t got much further towards Twee Rivieren when we finally spotted the cape foxes at the den we had heard so much about

Right, it was getting late – relatively – and our mind was set on proceeding towards the main gate, when Spots started to chant. The sleepy head from the day before yesterday appeared on the dunes. Well, on the last day, any lion is welcome.

We watched him coming down, sniffing the trees, marking, making his way up again just in order to pose…


…and coming back down again into the road

It seems that I need to wait a bit until I can continue with the rest
of the story of the naughty guy.

So, we were still with the naughty boy and his mind was firmly set on passing us and he came closer


He pretended not to be bothered by our presence at all and I don’t often roll up the window when lions walk by, but this one had a collar and I was sure he didn’t wear it just for fun. Although back then I didn’t know that it was for tracking purposes as he and his mate had been leaving the park to visit the cattle farmers nearby.

Well, his attitude changed and he gave us the look


Sorry, pics are not the best - but our windows were quite dirty at that stage of our journey.

No more photos after that as he had reached the back of the car.... And turned around and had a go at us!!! He pounced at our tail and at the same time uttered a soft roar. A seriously scary encounter! Never have had anything like that happen before and don't think I want to to experience it again.

Luckily, SO had kept the engine running all the while and we made a run for it… with a lion tailgating us. But once our car had got a grip again on the sandy road we were off and watched a confused lion from safe distance.

By now it was REALLY getting late and Spots told me that no more long stops were on the cards. Still I was allowed to take a photo of a tawny sitting in a tree close by.

And I clicked away like a maniac when the meerkats were sitting equally close to the road

Our trip ended with a BANG! Definitely the best sighting of an eland we had on this trip and probably the last one for a long time as the elands hadn’t been around for quite some years and it’s likely that they won’t be there anymore the next time we visit. Or the time after that. Or the time after that. Well, you get my drift.



The end.

Thanks for such a nice trip report, Mel,

although you must confess that the look of the last lion was something very special and who could get lionbored when getting such a look

Great eland picture and indeed such sightings are always something very special